Leigh Patricia Geiger pleads guilty to keying car at Hervey Bay

A miffed motorist in Queensland’s retirement capital “snapped”, taking her frustration out on another driver’s car as they shopped. She didn’t count on the act being captured on camera.

Leigh Patricia Geiger, 70, pleaded guilty to one count of wilful damage when she faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Thursday.

A senior citizen’s bizarre act of road rage had been described as “extraordinary”.

Leigh Patricia Geiger, 70, pleaded guilty in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Thursday over the September 19, 2024, incident.

Police prosecutor Louise McConnell said about 10am, the victim had parked her vehicle at a shopping centre in Pialba.

The woman entered the shops and when she returned, she found her car had extensive damage to the paintwork and it appeared the vehicle had been “keyed” Ms McConnell said.

The victim called the police who obtained CCTV footage from the shopping centre.

Police saw a white Toyota Corolla enter the car park and stop a short distance away.

Geiger was seen on the CCTV footage approaching the victim’s vehicle, appearing to check if the victim had exited the car.

She then returned to her own vehicle and located something in her handbag before walking back towards the victim's vehicle, leaning against it with her body and rubbed back in forth in a forceful motion with her hand at waist height against the car.

Ms McConnell said Geiger then walked to the other side of the car and looked through the doors of the shopping centre.

She then returned to the victim’s car and repeated that action, Ms McConnell said, before returning to her Corolla and left the complex.

When police conducted checks on the vehicle, Geiger was found to be the owner of the Corolla.

Leigh Patricia Geiger, 70, pleaded guilty to one count of wilful damage when she faced Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Thursday.

When police spoke to her, Geiger participated in an interview, telling officers she recalled being stuck behind the vehicle at a set of traffic lights and it “took too long” to start driving, admitting she followed the vehicle into the complex and that she “may have damaged the car”.

“But she didn’t believe that she could do too much damage to it as she is quite weak,” Ms McConnell said.

Geiger had told the officers that keying the car was something she might do if she was upset, Ms McConnell said.

Duty lawyer Justin Geldard said Geiger was currently receiving the aged pension and at the time she was experiencing family stress.

She was also taking medication for sleep disturbances and for pain from spinal protrusions.

“On this day she had effectively snapped,” Mr Geldard said.

The victim had stayed at the lights “the whole course of the lights”, Mr Geldard said, having been distracted, and Geiger had reacted “stupidly and foolishly”.

He said Geiger was willing to pay restitution for the damage.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie said Geiger had damaged someone’s property just because they annoyed her at a set of traffic lights, describing it as “extraordinary behaviour”.

“It shows such a lack of capacity to control your temper. There is no excuse for that behaviour and that damage to property.”

Geiger was fined $250 and ordered to pay $500 in compensation.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Leigh Patricia Geiger pleads guilty to keying car at Hervey Bay